GENBRIT-L Archives

Archiver > GENBRIT > 2002-01 > 1009875420


From: Guy Etchells <>
Subject: Re: Minimum Age for Witnesses to Marriage?
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2002 09:01:30 +0000


In essence it goes back to the ancient church view of the age of
marriage and that a child of 7 could make a rational decision as to
whether they wished to marry or not.
Logic tells us if a child of 7 and occasionally less than 7 was old
enough to decide whether to marry then they were old enough to witness
another's marriage.
Incedentaly this church age of marriage did not change in England, Wales
& Scotland until 1929 and in Ireland until 1975.
Cheers
Guy

--
Wakefield England

http://freespace.virgin.net/guy.etchells Transcripts, Parish
Records, Calendar, Scaleable Map of Uk. Link to LDS website,
Abbreviations, Returns of Owners of Lands etc. etc.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~framland/dh/ Whitefield
Transcripts, Etch/ells Transcripts
http://gye.future.easyspace.com Worldwide Cemetery Links, Monumental
Inscriptions, War Graves, etc.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~framland/CHURCH/church.htm
Churches & MIs. in the Wakefield Area
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~framland/Ossett/obmi1.htm
Transcripts of 1st Baptist Burial ground, Ossett
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~framland/tmi.htm Photos of
St. James Churchyard, Wakefield
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~framland/stcr/stjsc1.htm
M.Is. in St. John the Evangelist Churchyard, Staincross


> In article <>,
> (Stephen Hayes) wrote:
>
>
> > Perhaps Amanda could tell us - surely the age of marriage witnesses
> > would be
> > the same as witnesses to anyhting else that might require testimony in
> > court.
> >
> > I don't think infants (those under 7) would be competent witnesses.
>
> There is no official minimum age for child witnesses.
>
> Child witnesses in the UK often give evidence and are cross-examined
> through a video link, rather than in open court.
>
> Amanda
>

This thread: